23 March 2011: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that, as part of its collaboration with the 2014 Winter Olympic Games Sochi organizing committee, it has submitted to the Organizing Committee environmental action plans that cover key areas including Zero Waste and Climate Neutrality.

The action plans will form a portfolio of 17 environmental projects to be carried out under the Sochi 2014 Ecological Programme. The objective of the Zero Waste programme is to develop a sound plan for waste management that focuses on sustainable consumption, recycling and safe disposal. The Zero Emissions action plan outlines a detailed strategy for carbon management around the games to measure, reduce and offset carbon emissions.

In addition, the city of Sochi has agreed to restore any damage to the Mzymta River Basin river basin. The agreement was recorded in a Declaration of Commitments, signed by representative bodies involved in the Games preparation. The announcement is the result of a UNEP report outlining likely environmental impacts of construction work and recommending the development of a restoration and biodiversity preservation and management project for the Mzymta River Basin. [UNEP Press Release]